Soc.Culture.Jewish NewsgroupsFrequently Asked Questions
and Answers

Question 21.3.4:Playtime: What is appropriate dress for
swimming?

For girls, pink and frilly. For boys, anything that puffs up enormously
around their waist the second they get into the water. :-)

But seriously, this would depend how the family felt in general about
modesty. There are few exceptions for swimming, and the families who are most
careful about this even with young girls will not allow them to swim in mixed
groups if they are dressed "immodestly." Also, some men and boys will not go
out with their chests uncovered.

The extent to which modesty is a concern depends both on the movement
and the individual (some people are more modest than others). The more Orthodox
a movement is, the greater the concern about modesty in swimming attire. Hence,
it is difficult to give a broad rule. In general, especially revealing bathing
suits, such as bikinis and thongs, are probably inappropriate (unless covered).
Similarly, men should wear boxer-style trunks. Lastly, remember that it is not
a good idea in general to start dressing very young children in ways that mimic
sexually suggestive adult dress.

A good approach to modesty is to wear a very long tee-shirt (i.e., one
that goes to your knees) over your bathing suit. Many people do so for other
reasons as well, such as to protect one's skin from the sun. There is less of a
concern around the immediate family. Note that men and boys who are
uncomfortable being bare-chested should also wear a T-shirt. Obviously, a
dark-colored shirt should be worn so it won't go transparent when wet and
defeat the purpose of wearing it in the first place...!

The FAQ is a collection of documents that is an attempt
to answer questions that are continually asked on the soc.culture.jewish family
of newsgroups. It was written by cooperating laypeople from the various Judaic
movements. You should not make any assumption as to accuracy
and/or authoritativeness of the answers provided herein. In all cases, it is
always best to consult a competent authority--your local rabbi is a good place
to start.

Hopefully, the FAQ will provide the answer to your questions.
If it doesn't, please drop Email to questions@scjfaq.org. The FAQ maintainer
will endeavor to direct your query to an appropriate individual that can answer
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